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How does hippocampal memory differ from habit learning supported by the striatum?

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Patient H.M. and short-term memory loss explained — hippocampus Learn about Henry Molaison (better known as “patient H.M.”), whose short-term memory loss following a lobotomy helped researchers to understand how brain structures are related to brain function.

The hippocampus and the striatum support distinct forms of learning and memory.

The hippocampus is primarily associated with spatial memory and the formation of declarative memories, such as facts and events. It allows for the creation of a coherent, flexible representation of an environment, enabling an individual to navigate toward a goal using a mental map of their surroundings.12

In contrast, habit learning is supported by the striatum, a region of the forebrain. This process relies on trial-and-error learning to associate a specific sensory stimulus with a particular action—for example, learning to turn left at a specific junction to receive a reward. While the hippocampus is essential for remembering places and contexts, the striatum is involved in guiding behavior through the use of landmarks and the reinforcement of stimulus-response associations.23

Damage to the hippocampus typically results in a severe disruption in the ability to learn goal locations and navigate, whereas the striatum remains critical for the habitual, stimulus-driven behaviors that guide movement within an environment.2